HOME Boost your energy by hitting the pillow

Boost your energy by hitting the pillow

Take advantage of the link between better sleep and improved physical activity.

If you’re doing our Movement Challenge this month, you probably already have a good idea of how important movement is to your mental and physical health. But something many of us tend to overlook, in terms of how important it is to our health and well-being, is getting a good night’s sleep. If you’re not getting enough sleep, you’re not as healthy as you could be, and you might be suffering negative side effects.

Why sleep matters

Getting enough sleep is vital for the health and well-being of everyone, no matter what age. It helps with cognitive function, mood, mental health, plus cardiovascular and metabolic health. Sleep deprivation can have a detrimental impact on our physical and mental health, mood and even safety, as fatigue is linked to workplace and motor accidents.

Moving helps sleeping
It’s also been proven proper exercise can reduce sleep-related problems and help us get enough quality rest time. Recent research also indicates poor-quality sleep leads to lower levels of physical activity the next day — leading experts to conclude that sleep and exercise are closely linked.

So, they feed directly into each other — better sleep means higher levels of physical activity and higher levels of physical activity, you guessed it, lead to better sleep.
Let’s look at some of the ways we can improve our sleep.

Things you should be doing

Going to sleep and waking up the same time every day
Making sure your sleeping environment is quiet and comfortable
Only use your bed for sleep and intimacy (not eating, studying, devices)
Exercising during the day
Spending time in natural light during the day – (helps set your natural body clock)
Using relaxation techniques before bed (meditating or reading)

Things you shouldn’t be doing